The Saints Qualification, Sermon 4
THE FOVRTH SERMON VPONUPON THE NEW CREATVRE.
2 COR. 5.17.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.
NOw we come to the last thing to be observed in the New Creature;3There must be a mortification of the old man which is, that there is not only an infusion of a new Quality, but a weakning of the old: Therefore we put that into the description. A man is a New Creature when his heart is cast into another mould, by the infusion of a new quality of grace, and by a destroying of the old.
And this is specially to be observed, because there bee two parts of the New Creature, a mortification of sinne, as well as a vivification. For, Common Nature is like a Bowle between two byasses, Corruption is the wrong byas, carrying us out of the way; and Grace the good byas, carrying us into the way: So you must knocke off the old byas, as well as put on a new one, that is, Common Nature lyes as an indifferent thing betweene Grace and Sin, the Flesh and the Spirit, Corruption and Holinesse; so that as the body is betweene health and sicknesse, so is Common Nature between originall sinne, which is as the sicknesse or death of the Soule, and Holinesse, which is the health of it. Now it is not only required that there be an infusion of the new Quality, but likewise a weakning of this old, both cannot stand together, so farre as you strengthen one, the other is weakned, it is alwayes so where is contrariety, where there is no contrariety two may stand together; but when things be opposite, the comming in of the one, is the weakning of the other, the comming of heat is a weakning of cold, this is of speciall use.
Vse.And this use we are to make of it; that hence then you see this will follow, that, if you finde much newnesse in your selves (according to your owne opinion) you finde you can doe many things, you could never doe before; you are able to doe these and these duties of new obedience: well, suppose it, yet except there be a mortification of the old lusts; if thou find that there be any lusts continue in thee, in strength, that, in that regard, thou art the same man still, whatsoever addition there be, it is no matter, it is certaine thou art not yet a New Creature: for a New Creature consists not in superinduction of the new Quality, the old remaining; but in a weakning of the old too. It is not only a superaddition of the new, but the death of the old also: Therefore, if thou findest any corruptions continuing in the fulnesse of their first strength, not weakned at all; though thou hast all signes of grace, all parts of a New Creature, to thy seeming, yet thou art deceived; because if thou wert new, there would be a mortification of the old lusts.
So againe, it is true on the other side: Put case thou finde a great change in thy selfe, such lusts as have been vigorous and lively, thou findest to be now dead, except it be by the ingresse of this New Creature, thou hast little cause to comfort thy selfe; for those lusts are but covered and laid asleepe for a time, and will wake and rise againe: as Sampson, when hee was tied with cords, rose againe, and was as strong as ever he was, when the opportunity came, And it was told him, The Philistims are upon thee, Sampson: So lusts are laid asleepe, till the opportunity comes, when all the threed of good purposes breaks, and they rise again in their strength: therefore, if there bee not a New Creature brought within thy soule, thy lusts are but laid asleepe, they will rise againe: Or put case they be dead, and rise no more; yet, except it be by the ingredience of this New Creature, they are but dead of themselves, and so long as they die of themselves, God regards not that death: for that which is required of us in Rom. 12.1. is, that we sacrifice our selves: Now two things are required in the Sacrifice; one, that it be slaine, that it die not of it selfe, for that is not a Sacrifice. Secondly, that it be offered to God, and not to any other god. Now this we oft finde, that lusts die of themselves, change of age, experience, operation of circumstances, time, place, and many things may alter the desires: for, you must know, The world passeth away, and the lusts of it: that is, they are of a transitory Nature. A man doth not desire that, this yeare, which he did the last. Doe wee not see, many have beene riotous and prodigall in youth, yet there is a great change in them, not for grace, but age, and use, and experience, and many things, make alteration: These are not slaine to the Lord, but they die of themselves, so God would not accept them.
Againe, they may be slaine, but not to the LORD, thou mayest offer them to thy selfe, which is the same, as if thou offeredst them to another god, that is, a man may finde much evill and inconvenience, much bitternesse in them, it may be, they have brought shame and misery on thee.
Againe, thou mayst feare Gods judgements; and therefore mayest restraine thy selfe. In a word, If thy selfe be thy end, in abstaining from any sin what ever it be, there is a Sacrifice, thou hast slaine it, but not offered it to the Lord, it is not done to him, It is not because thou lovest the Lord Iesus: therefore it is not a fruit of the New Creature, for till then, every man makes himselfe his end in all he doth, but when hee is made a New Creature, hee makes the LORD his end.
This therefore is the use of this: there must be two parts of this New Creature, Vivification, and Mortification, an infusion of the new Quality, and a weakning of the old. Because this is a point of much moment, I will presse it a little further, and deliver this Rule, I say, this other Consectary may be gathered: If it be so, then thou must finde in thy selfe these two things:
Thou must find in thy selfe something more than Nature,2Vse or Consectary. and againe, thou must finde in thy selfe something lesse than Nature: Thou must have lesse than what thy corrupt nature had in it, and more than common nature hath in it, or else thou wantest this third part of the New Creature, this third thing wherein it consists, the induction of a new Quality, and a weakning of the old: We will urge this a little.
1There must be something les…e than corrupt nature.First, there must be a lessening and a weakening of that was there before: for, you must know every man hath some personall infirmities, some sinnes more peculiar to his Nature than others, something wherein hee is weake, every man hath it,Where …od forgiveth, hee healeth; where he pardoneth, he purifieth. one of one sort, another of another sort; every man hath a more inclination to this or that sinne, which is bred and borne with him. If thou findest that this continues with thee still, that thou hast the same running-sore on thee, that thou hadst, that thou findest no alteration in that, that there is no lessening, no weakning, no destroying and mortifying of that, then thou art not a New Creature, and consequently, thy sins are not forgiven, for Iustification and Sanctification are inseparable. It thy sins were pardoned, they would be healed, that is the thing you must consider. It is certaine therefore, if you doe not find them healed, you are not yet in Christ; for if thou wert in Christ truly, there would a vertue come out of him that would heale thy bloudy-issue; for the vertue of his death is never disjoyned from the merit of his death, where ever he forgives sin, he cures sinne: therefore if thou findest that hee hath not cured any sin, know it is not forgiven. You may see it every where; Mary Magdalen, as much was forgiven her, so she had a great cure wrought in her, shee was changed, she became another woman, you see how exceeding holy she was; when Christ said, Thy sinnes are forgiven, she went away with another heart: So it was with Paul, when once his sins were forgiven, when God sent word by Ananias that hee was a chosen vessell, withall he was made a glorious Professour of a raging Persecutour, there was a healing of sin, as well as forgiving of it. So David, when his sinne was forgiven, when God told him by Nathan so much, his sin was cured, hee did not commit adultery againe: therfore in the one and fiftieth Psalme, the cure stands on record, that all the world may know, that where God forgiveth, he healeth likewise. So Peter, when God had forgiven him that sin of denying his Master, he cured it too.
To adde a little more,Reason 1. I say, Sinne must be healed, if it bee forgiven; for it cannot bee otherwise, if God take any man to beare his Name, and his sins bee not healed, his Name should be blasphemed, it would redound to his dishonour.
Againe,Reason 2. if he should forgive and not heale us, we should have no comfort from him, nor he no service from us: we should have no comfort from him, because of the rage and vexation of ruling lusts.
Againe,Reason 3. he should have no service from us; for how can we serve him when we are not healed? Can a sicke man doe any service? Hee must be healed, and restored to health first. Now doe you thinke, God will put his children in a condition, that neither they shall have comfort from him, nor he service from them; therefore it is of necessity, wheresoever sin is forgiven, it is healed: Therefore in Hosea 14. When I take away your iniquities, I will heale your rebellions▪ So in Deut. 30.6. when he will have mercy upon them, saith hee, I will also circumcise your hearts, and the hearts of your seed, that you shall love mee with all your soule, and with all your strength: Hee never pardons, but he likewise circumciseth. So in Ier. 24.7. I will set mine eye upon you for good: that is, I will pardon you, and receive you to mercy, and also will give you an heart to know mee, so that you shall be my people, and I will be your God: For you shall turne to mee with all your heart. In a word, they are never disjoyned; take it for a sure rule, as Ezek. 26. I will wash thee from thy Idols, that is, from thy lusts and idolatry, and will give thee a new heart and a new Spirit, he never doth one without the other; therefore apply it. It may be there be many particular sins which thou thinkest are forgiven, Sabbath-breaking, Swearing, Vncleannesse, goe thorow any particular sin▪ if they be not healed, they be not forgiven, and so thou art in a miserable condition. Therefore, doe not say, though I sinne againe and againe, yet God is mercifull, and, I hope, ready to forgive. It is very true; but thou must know, that he is never merciful to forgive, but he is as ready to heale and cure thy sins likewise; therefore deceive not yourselves in that.
Caution.Only before I passe from this point, mistake me not, my meaning is not, that it is so healed, that there is not the least vigour left in it, that it is so dead and buried, that thou shalt never heare of it againe, that the Spring of originall corruption is dried up, that none of it is left; but the meaning is, it is healed, that is, Sinne is pulled downe from his Regency, it may assault thee, as a Rebell, but it comes no more as a Lord, as a King;Note. it is put out of possession, it may creepe in as a Theefe, but it comes no more as the owner of the house; for that is resigned up to grace and the New Creature. Sin creepes in, as it were, but there is another Master of the house, so that now thou mayest say, I doe it not, but sinne that dwelleth in me, that is, that creepes in; thy denomination is from that, that beares rule in thy heart; for that is all that is done in Regeneration; Sin is put out of possession, and Grace is now the Ruler, the Lord of the heart; therefore we may say, it is healed, that is, it is so shut out, that thou hast dominion over it, it may assault thee now and then, it may overcome thee now and then, but it dwels not in thee, thou never entertainest as a guest, thou never biddest it welcome, thou never makest peace with it, thou hast perpetuall warre with it, as there was with the Amalekites.
Againe,2As there must be lesse than corrupt Nature; so there must be more than meere Nature. corrupt nature must bee lessened, weakned, and mortified; so there must be more than nature in thee; that is, thou must be able to doe more than any natural man in the world can doe, or then thou wast ever able to doe before this change was wrought in thee; for, you must know, Grace doth not onelyonly mortifie and heale Sin, but it goes beyond the power of Nature; as we say, Physicke helpes where Nature failes, and Art helpes where Nature fals short: Such a thing is Grace where Nature failes, there is use of Grace, indeed else what were the efficacie of the Word, and the vertue of the Spirit, and the power of Christ? If they did not enable a man to do more than Nature doth. Grace comes from an higher Well-head than Nature, therefore it raiseth a man to an higher pitch than Nature can ascend to. Therefore consider, if thou hast that which goes beyond Nature; Sampson had a strength beyond Nature, he could doe what a common man could not doe, but God being with him, he had more than the strength of Nature. How do we know that? He was able to carry away the gates of the Citie, &c. which none else could do; therefore there was in him strength above Nature: Now examine, canst thou doe that which no man else can doe that is a meere naturall man? Thou must have a strength put into thee, which none can reach to, that hath nothing but Nature in him, that is, canst thou love the Lord Iesus and the Saints? An Hypocrite can counterfeit many things, but not love. Againe, canst thou delight in the Law of God, in the Inner man, I aske not if thou canst approve of it, but canst thou delight in it, counting it as meat and drinke to doe the will of thy Father? This is a thing which cannot be counterfeit. So, canst thou deny thy selfe? I aske not, if thou canst deny this or that particular sinne, but the whole body of sin, if thou favourest the things of the Spirit, if thou canst mortifie the deeds of the Body, and walke according to that Spirit. In a word, whatsoever it is, if thou art a New Creature, thou must find thy selfe able to doe that which no naturall man can doe, and which thy selfe could'st never doe before; for, otherwise what wilt thou have to answer for thy selfe, when the Destroying Angell shall come, if hee finde not in thee more than Nature, the Destruction shall passe on thee, as it was in the Passeover, except there was found bloud on the door-posts, they died for it: Now the bloud that this Destroying Angell must see; when hee shall passe over the world, is that which is, more than Nature. You must know the bloud of Christ leaves an impression, Their garments were made white in the bloud of the Lambe; that is, not onelyonly the guilt of sin is taken away, but a new vertue is put on them, a new efficacie is put into them, and if thou hast not the vertue of the bloud of Christ, as well to purge thy conscience from dead workes, as to take away the guilt of sin; all is nothing, you must know all the old world shall be destroyed, and the workes of it, and whatsoever is in it, whatsoever is old shall be destroyed; the Lord will spare nothing but what is new, he makes a new Heaven, and a new Earth; and what is new shall be spared, when he comes to take an examination of men, and findes nothing but old in thee, thou art sure to be destroyed; if thou be new he will spare thee, there is a blessing there, this is the marke in the forhead, this is that new Name, this is that certain watch-word, which, if a man know not, hee is counted as an enemie: you have a fashion sometimes to give markes, if they have that marke, that token in their hand, they are knowne to be of them that are allowed. So there is a certaine sealing of men to life, God gives a new name, a white st…ne with a new name written on it, which none can reade but God and thy selfe: I say, except thou art a New Creature (for that is the new name) the Destroying Angell shall not spare thee, but thy sinnes shall be cast on thy conscience, as usually hee doth when thou are on thy death-bed; he never binds the burthen till then, you have it before, but you never feele it till then, but when God shall charge it on thy conscience, what wilt thou say? if thou findest not these two things, a weakning of this old nature, an healing of sin, and something morethan Nature, thou canst not apply the comfort of Iustification, thou art not in Christ, for thou art not a New Creature,, which consists of these two parts, Vivification and Mortification. So much for this point; So we have done with this, that Iustification and Sanctification are inseparable: all this is drawne from the conjuction, Whosoever is in Christ is a New Creature,] they are not disjoyned, if you have one, you have the other.
Observ. 2.Now this is further to be observed, If hee must be a New Creature, then hee must have a new Nature; He must have another Nature, for he is made another man, that is, he is so altered, as if he were another man, as if another Soule came to dwell in that body; therefore, there must be another Nature.
Againe,Observ. 3. it must be a New Creatures: therefore wee must observe something from that word New.
And fourthly,Observ. 4. wee will observe something from this, that it is a Creature, and so is created by God, no man is able to doe it.
And last of all,Observ. 5. the order; first in Christ, and then a New Creature. These be the foure things we have to doe.
First,Observ. 1. there must be in thee another Nature, that is,Those that are in Christ have another Nature. it is not enough to be altered in this and that particular, but thou must have another Nature; for you shall finde, that when any man is in Christ, the whole nature is changed, Lions be turned into Lambes, that is, the very Nature is altered. A Lion doth not carry himselfe like a Lambe, and remaines a Lion still; nor a Serpent like a Dove, and remaine a Serpent still; but the Lion is turned into a Lambe, that is, there is another Nature given; 2 Pet. 1.4. Wee are made partakers of the Divine Nature: there is the very word used, that is, we have another nature given like the Nature of God, and it hath in it all the properties of Nature. As how will you know when a thing is naturall? You may know it by this that is naturall,When a thing is said to be Naturall. not which is begotten by precedent action, but when the faculty is infused, and then we exercise the operations of it. So it is in all the faculties of Nature, you have first a sense of seeing given you before you see: In the things that are not naturall, there the actions goe before the thing, before the faculty or habite; as, when a man learnes any thing, that is not naturall, as to play on a Lute, or any other Art, hee doth many actions, and then hee hath got the habit; and when he hath got it, he doth it easily, for what is naturall is planted in a man; so is this, it is planted in the heart, as the senses are, it is infused into the Soule, and then we exercise the operations of it; so that it is another nature, it is just as the thing that is naturall.
Againe, Nature is that which wee receive from our Parents, and whereby we are made like to our Parents. As the Sonne is taken from the Father, and is made like him; so this New Creature is wrought by God, and by it, wee are made like him. Therefore, Christ is said to be formed in us; I travell in birth till Christ bee formed in you: that is, till the Holy Ghost doe change the whole Soule into another Creature; so as it is made like Christ in every thing, as the Son is like the Father; only the difference is in the degrees,Caution. as the Sonne differeth from the Father in degrees, yet he hath all the lineaments of the Father, so you are borne of Christ, and are like him; Borne, not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of the will of God, if you be New Creatures.
Againe, that is Nature, which is common to the whole Species, to the whole kinde; what is not naturall, one man hath, and another man wants, and this we find in the New Creature, the whole kinde, that is, all the Saints that are living in all places, they have the same Nature in them, that is, they have the same Spirit in them, though they be a thousand miles asunder, though they never saw one another, yet they may know one anothers minds, for one minde dwels in them, when one mind dwels in divers, they be of the same disposition, so this Nature is common to them all.
Againe, what is Nature it cannot be altered againe, for that is the property of Nature, it still stickes by us, and will not be changed, but, as Aristotle observes, throw a stone up a thousand times, it will returne againe, because it is the nature of it to returne; so what is the nature of a man, put him from it an hundred times and an hundred times againe over, yet he returnes to it againe, because it is naturall to him: So it is with this New Creature, when the heart is once framed aright, though the Saints are sometimes transported, though sometimes they are not like themselves, though sometimes strong lusts lead them captives, yet they returne againe, though it were an hundred times done; for Nature will not be put off, you cannot lay it aside againe.
Last of all, Nature is a thing that cannot be taught, no more can this New Creature, no man can teach you to be New Creatures. Arts may be taught, and things not naturall may be taught, but this no man can teach you. Wee may shew what it is to be a New Creature, we may declare it to you, but God must doe it. Indeed he calls it Teaching, but it is such a teaching (as I told you) he teacheth Bees and Ants to doe after their kinde, he teacheth the Storke and other creatures to doe thus and thus, that is, he puts into them an instinct to doe so: In this sense he teacheth thee to be a New Creature, he puts an instinct into thee. All these properties are in Nature; therefore wee may conclude, whosoever is in Christ must have another Nature. We will now make use of it.
Vse 1.There bee many things profitable arising from this,Not to deferre comming to God. that there must be another Nature.
First, then learne hence, not to deferre comming to God, because if Repentance were nothing else, but an abstinence from the acts of sin, a resolution to change your courses, and a seconding of it with some sutable endevours, you might goe farre, and it may be, come in hereafter, when you will your selves: But if it be another Nature that is required, take heed of refusing, when God will come and make an offer to thee, because another nature is required. What wilt thou doe? Put case thou hadst never so much warning before thou diest, if thou hadst Ezekiahs warning, if thou hadst fifteene yeeres given thee, art thou able to change thy nature? why then art thou bold on? why dost thou defer to turne to God? When ever God calls for thee, there must be beauty in thee, thou must have (as I may say) a countenance well favoured in some degree; now if thy face bee but besmeared with dirt, thou mayest wash it off, but if it be the changing of a Black-moores skin, how wilt thou doe that? Can the Black-moore change his skinne. Therefore, seeing it is a change of Nature, bee not too secure: Thinke not thus (for it is the onelyonly thing that keepes men from comming to God) I will come in, but it shall be hereafter, I will goe yet a little further; this is a very dangerous case, because it is a changing of Nature that is required, and no Creature in Heaven and Earth is able to doe this. Therefore, when thou commest to die, or when any crosse comes, thou mayest be willing to change, and thou mayest take purposes to thy selfe; but doe we not see, by experience, in such cases, the Nature is not altered, doe not all returne to their byas, there is not one of a thousand but doth it, because it is a forced action. Now a stone forced upward returnes againe, so there be many forced actions in times of Temptation, and the houre of death, but still the nature is the same, therefore men returne againe. Therefore know this very heart of thine, the very nature of it must bee altered, it must bee changed into a light ayrie vapour, that may ascend, else it will not hold out, and thou shalt have no comfort from it, and when it is turned into an ayrie vapour, it must be done by a light and heat that comes from heaven: So must thy heart, it is the Holy Ghost that must doe it, it is onelyonly the Author of Nature that can change Nature, hee that made it can renue it. And as only fire begets fire, so onelyonly the Spirit begets the qualities called the Spirit; the Holy Ghost must breathe this breath of life in thee. This is a thing not considered, therefore you are bold to put it off, if the Holy Ghost, were at thy command, if hee would breathe when thou listest, it were another case, but hee breathes when and where he listeth, nothing is so free as the wil of the Spirit, he breathes where he lists: That it is no more in thee to alter him than the winds, when they blow to the East, canst thou cause it to blow to the West, no more canst thou alter the will of the Spirit: Therefore take heed of refusing the offer, when the Lord will offer, it is a dangerous thing to refuse.
What the Lord bade them in the Gospell to doe, he is ready to doe himselfe; When you come into a Citie, offer peace, if they will receive it, so it …, let it come on them, but if they will not, stay not there, let them goe, shake off the dust off your feet against them; such a people shall perish. Consider that, and see if the Lord be not ready to doe it himselfe. If hee make an offer, as hee did, when hee gave his Disciples this command; take heed that he goe not away in anger, he knocks at thy heart againe and againe, take heed that hee goe not away in wrath. It is the Lords manner, no man knowes the time of his offer, sometimes at the third, sometimes at the fifth, and sometimes at the last houre; the time is not in thy hand, but whensoever he offers take heed off refusing, for if he growes angry, he returnes no more, When he shall sweare in his wrath, &c. Psal. 95. ult. that is a place worth considering.
The Apostle perswades them not to deferre Repentance, but to come while it is to day, put it not off; and he gives them two reasons, Lest you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne, that is, you will not be able to come in, sin will harden you againe, lest the Lord sweare in his wrath, as he did to the Israelites. Now, you must marke, they offended him, once, twice, and thrice, still the Lord bore with them, they were rebellious at the Red-sea, and presently after, yet this the Lord bore with, but there was a time, when the Lord will beare with them no longer, yet they lived many yeares after, then he sware in his wrath, and then they were destroyed. It is true, the Lord is not so angry for every refusing and sin, which thou committest, but when he comes to sweare, there is no retracting of it then, wheresoever you finde an oath in the Scripture, there is no reservation, when he sware, he never returned againe. Therefore take heed of angring the Lord Iesus, though he be the Saviour of the world, yet kisse the Son lest hee bee angry. Take heed of deferring, for a change of Nature is required, which is a thing that thou canst not doe, but the LORD must doe it.
Againe,Vse 2. if it be a change of Nature,Content not your selves with any thing if this be wanting. I will but urge this a little.
Then we may learne hence to know, that all the desires that come from Nature are nothing, for that is not to have another Nature: they are Flowers, All the desires that come from Nature are nothing.that have a beautie in them, but they are the Flowers of the grasse, subject to corruption, as well as the stalke on which they grow, therefore GOD accepts them not.
2Morall Vertues.Againe, it is not Morall Vertues, for that is not changing of Nature, for they may bee got and lost againe.
3Transient acts of Holinesse.Againe, it is not the Transient acts of Holinesse which the Holy Ghost workes in the heart, when hee comes as a Passenger for a night, or as a Sojourner for a monethmonth or two, but he must come to be an Inhabitant, and so as the Soule is in the body, to make the Nature another Nature.
4Good Intentions and Purposes.Last of all, it is not any good Intentions, any good Desires, any good Purposes, but another Nature.
Therefore, take heed that you doe not deceive your selves, and that is a thing we are exceeding apt to be deceived in, because we have other purposes wee thinke all is well: this wee must looke to, for there be many times when men are very prodigall of good purposes, as when they come to receive the Sacrament, or in time of apprehension of death, or it may bee you will purpose to leave sinne, when you have smarted for some sinne you have committed; you then meane to alter all, and you thinke you are well, because you have other desires and purposes in you, but it is not so, there must bee another Nature, that is, these purposes God regards as nothing, for indeed they are worth nothing, when there are new purposes, and the old Nature continues still, they come to the birth, and when they have done so, There is no strength to bring forth, that is, when the purposes are new, and the nature old, they are not able to dwell there, but it is like a new peece in an old garment, that is, old nature is not able to sute with new purposes, but the peece breaks forth, and the rent is greater than it was. So usually it is, when we have the old nature, and take new purposes, there is not a sutablenesse, and the rent is made greater than it was. A man returnes againe to sin and is worse than hee was; but when there is another Nature, as well as other purposes, then the purposes live there, as Creatures live in their owne Element, and as branches live and grow on their owne roots, but when purposes are holy and good, and the nature bad, they are as Plants planted in a soile not proper to them, where they will not grow nor prosper, because the soile is not sutable to them: therefore let us not content our selves with these good Purposes and Transient Acts, there must bee another Nature. For these good purposes, what are they but as blossomes nipt with untimely frosts? they may make a faire shew, and come to nothing, as a tree that promiseth largely, hath blossomes very faire, but you shall finde no fruit on it; so it is when Nature is not good: There is so much in Nature, that is in a man not sanctified, that hee hath thefe two things:
First, hee may approve of the Law of GOD.
And secondly, have a desire to be saved.
Put these two together, Approbation of the Law of GOD, and Desire to bee saved; they will bring forth a purpose of change of life, they are able to doe that, but now the heart is not changed: As in Deutronomie the fifth chapter, and the nine and twentieth verse, you shall finde an expression of it there, when Moses told the people, that GOD would speake to them by a man like themselves; they made a faire promise that they would doe all that the LORD commanded them; Moses answered them, You have said well; But, O that there were an heart in this people to keepe GODS Commandements, and to doe them, that it may goe well with them and their children. As if he had said, I know you speake no more than you thinke, I know that you are resolved to doe what the LORD will appoint, but you have your old hearts still: O that there were an heart there.
So they that take new Purposes to themselves, it is well: but wee may say, Oh that there were in them an heart! For it fares with men in this case, as with them spoken of in Scripture; One said, hee would goe into the Vineyard, and did not.
It is a frequent case, when men say, they will goe into GODS Vineyard, they doe not, because they are not able, till they have another Nature: It is an intent above their strength; therefore content not your selves with Purposes.
The end of the Fourth Sermon.